# Do you furiously tap the a button when you go to catch a pokemon?



## Bombsii

I've just noticed, it is something I do all the time, but I suppose it doesn't actually help at all. I've also noticed a few of my friends doing it too.


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## Green

I hold down A+B+L+R whenever the Pokeball flashes closed (before it wiggles). Obviously it doesn't help, but I somehow make my self believe it does.


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## 1. Luftballon

it messes with the RNG pre-gen III, but not in any helpful way.


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## Goldenpelt

I go in a clockwise circle around the buttons when the Pokeball is flying, down once it lands, and then the directions it tilts.


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## brandman

I used to, seeing all of my cousins play, catching legendary pokemon while tapping furiously at the A button. In FireRed while I was catching articuno, I realized it wasn't the safest thing to do, when my thumb started going up and  down fast, _by itself_. 0.o Later I finally read a warning that said something against it so I stopped. If there was a suggestion to say that you used to then I would put that as my vote but seeing as I don't anymore I'm going to put it as no.


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## Ymedron

I press A/B down when I try to catch a pokemon, but if I accidentally throw a pokeball and don't want to catch a pokemon I start smashing B instead.

WORKS 50% OF THE TIME. ^('O')^


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## Murkrow

I press b when it hits the Pokémon and then when it wobbles I tap the side of the screen. If on an SP, I sometimes close the screen and turn the sound down for the amoun of time three wobbles would take. I don't care that it doesn't do anything, that doesn't mean I shouldn't do it.


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## blazheirio889

I either furiously mash the A button, follow the ball's movement with the D-pad, or hold Down+A+B when the ball's falling. It's a force of habit by now.

I remember the times when I thought more mashing = better. Once I mashed so hard that I accidentally soft-resetted my game.


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## ultraviolet

No, because I think that it'll disturb the ball and it'll come open for some reason. 

I _do _mash the B button when an opponent is confused so it hurts itself.


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## Togetic

I hold A+B+Down the moment the ball touches the ground. I used to think that it'll keep the lid _down_ when its shaking around.


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## Diz

Well, I used to mash A and B at the same time to catch pokemon, but then I read a FAQ about D/P/Pt. and it said to tap the center of the pokeball on the touch screen when the pokeball flash right after enveloping the pokemon. Then it said to circle the touchscreen pokeball clockwise with every wobble.

This usually doesn't work, but that is just because the hp bar isn't low enough. I attack, then try again and I catch it!


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## Blastoise Fortooate

I trace the ball's path in the air above my screen and then move my finger along withthe ball's wobbling.

IT TOTALLY WORKS LOL


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## Aisling

I press and hold down+B when the ball pops open. Sometimes I'll look at the Pokeball after it's closed and cross my eyes so I see two of it. I like to think of it as dividing is strength so it can't break out as easily.

Of course, it's all just for fun. I get into things like that.


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## Chopsuey

I do sometimes. Mostly when shinies appear, because I freak out completely and randomly press buttons to try and catch 'em. _Yes._


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## Time Psyduck

No.

I only mash buttons when I want the pokemon center to hurry up and heal my pokémon, or otherwise get through a load of useless text.

Despite this my brother still thinks pressing A at some point actually makes a difference, and insists on telling me to press it (well he did last time I actually tried to catch something important, which was a while ago)


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## Glacedon

I used to but now I dont beacuse whenever i do button mash, I never catch it. On time i was button mashing for old times sake like "what the hell why not?" And so I tried that 6 times..after the 6th I didnt button mash and finally caught it. The thing is also, whenever I button mashed the pokemon got out the first timee everytime.


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## H-land

Tapping A? Man, down-B is where it's _at_.
But no, seriously? I just toss a ball and glare intently at the screen. And get upset when it doesn't work.


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## hopeandjoy

I mash A, out of habit. One of my siblings told me it worked back in Gen II and it has become forever implanted in my muscle memory.


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## Tailsy

Down+B for life!


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## Elliekat

A-B-Down!


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## Patar

I have various methods. First when I get pissed at it, I start talking to it(Yes, I'm weird). Then I throw the Pokeball and when it flashes, I tap A. i just tap A for every wiggle. Usually works.


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## Yarnchu

I press Up+B when I throw the ball, then furiously mash A+B while making circles around the D-pad. I even mash A when I'm attacking and B when the enemy is attacking/to prevent my Pokemon to hit itself in confusion.

Dude, it is pratically superstition with me. It does nothing, but I can't imagine playing the game without doing it. Button mashing is part of the experiance of a Pokemon game for me.


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## Blastoise Fortooate

In the Safari Zone I tell the Poké I'm trying to catch the clever nickname I'm going to give it.

It works.


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## Patar

Of course talking to your Pokemon works! They like it! Also I tell people to not stare at the Pokemon because it needs its privacy in order to be caught.


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## Diz

superyoshi888 said:


> I even mash A when I'm attacking and B when the enemy is attacking/to prevent my Pokemon to hit itself in confusion.
> 
> Dude, it is pratically superstition with me. It does nothing, but I can't imagine playing the game without doing it. Button mashing is part of the experiance of a Pokemon game for me.


This.

I do this too, and I don't think I could ever play the game differently.


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## Shadow Serenity

I don't tap any buttons, however I do have an old habit.  Since the days of Red/Blue, I had heard that if you hold the B button and "up" on the control pad at the same time as the Pokemon disappears into the Pokeball, it supposedly made it easier to catch. I don't believe this really works, though I find myself doing it every time I try to catch something anyway.


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## Mango

Whenever I throw a Pokeball, I take off all my clothes and dance around my Gameboy chanting as loudly as I can.

I sometimes just hold B. Usually that.


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## Minish

I'm a Down+B girl.
I think I used to press Down+B until it hit the ground, though, and then I would press B for each time it moved (hopefully three). XD

I remember everyone at my primary school had these superstitions... I couldn't imagine playing Pokemon without doing it now. :3


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## Adriane

It doesn't work, so I don't.


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## Rex

I press my stylus to the top of the Pokeball when I play a DS game so that the pokemon "can't get out". Works pretty well actually, even though the top screen of the DS isn;t even a touch screen.

On GBA games I don't do anything.


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## Ether's Bane

I used to tap A. Now I go for Down-B.

Yes, I have an in-game superstition, like all of you.


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## Munchkin

When capturing a Pokémon, I usually just start by throwing the ball and paying minimum attention. When I begin to grow frustrated, I furiously press the A button.

After that, I give the Pokémon what I call my "death glare". I look it right in the eye(s) and, when it's in the ball, I death glare the Pokéball button. After several times of that, I reduce to begging the Pokémon to be caught. Since I play on my DS, I always seem to think that the microphone actually lets the Pokémon hear you speak. So I speak to my Pokémon sometimes too =x


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## speedblader03

I used to, but lately I've been just staring at the screen with my eyes wide open, and start to talk to it if it takes a few tries.


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## Minish

Vixie said:


> It doesn't work, so I don't.


How clever of you to realise. The fact that it doesn't really work isn't the point; most people in this thread have acknowledged they don't believe it works.


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## Mustardear

I mash the A button for the first few Pokeballs then, if I'm failing, I look away from the screen and turn the sound off so that my bad luck doesn't influence the game. When that doesn't work I deliberately do the opposite. I also furiously tap the A button during a battle if I want to speed it up (eg. on the bus 5 minutes away from school, fighting Lance), even when it's in the middle of an attack animation.


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## Butterfree

I used to have some superstitions ages ago, but it's been years and ever since I learned definitively that there really is nothing like this programmed into the game, I just throw the ball and watch it wobble.


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## Starly

I press A repeatedly, even though I know it does not help, it's kinda a habit XD...


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## SonicNintendo

no, but I stab at the little pokeball on the touch screen.
EDIT: Mustardear made a good point.  I do the same thing.  I'll shut off the sound and look away.  I do it with a lot of intese battles (usually WiFi, theyre more intese than the in-game ones.)


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## RespectTheBlade

I press A rapidly out of habit, especially after a Pokeball is thrown. this some times leads to me using the wrong attack during a battle. also, I know a friend who pressed L+R+Start+Select when he threw a pokeball, and lost half of his game (soft reset), he hadn't saved in over three hours.


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## Lili

I'm scared that if I press _any_ button, it'll cause me to lose the Pokemon. So I usually just freeze in place and stare at the screen intently.


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## Missile

I do. Not because I think It'll help the Pokeball _stay shut like a good little freakin' Pokeball should_,but because if it doesn't capture the Pokemon,I don't want to waste 3 precious seconds of my life reading _"Shoot! It was so close!"_. I used follow the Pokeball's movements with my D-Pad,because I thought it would help,but I've grown up,and learned that *IT DOESN'T WORK.* :D But I do it every once and awhile for the heck of nostalgia.


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## Mai

I do it, and if it takes several tries, I might even reduce to begging, especially since I tend to not bring enough Pokeballs.


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## SoulFloatzel_Umbreon

I just press A or Y depending on which direction it goes. unless it were suicune...


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## Altair66

I just press A when it wabbles in the pokeball I doubt it dose any good though but its a habit.


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## Anomaly 54

I use the "Hey, would you just GET IN THE FREAKIN POKÉBALL?!?" method. 
I hope that in B/W, you can talk to your Pokémon (Like, instead of using the touch screen or the D-Pad, just say "Pikachu, use Thunder" or something.


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## Enkoe

I don't really do anything, except flip the DS upside down, hide it under some cushion, close my eyes and cover my ears until I THINK the Pokemon has been caught.

WHY WHY WHY WHY IS ONIX SO HARD TO CATCH IN D/P/PT?!?!


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## wyoming789

Sort of, I guess.  I know it does nothing, but I hold down A + B and move the d-pad in the direction of the ball.  Silly, but a habit.


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## surskitty

Enkoe said:


> I don't really do anything, except flip the DS upside down, hide it under some cushion, close my eyes and cover my ears until I THINK the Pokemon has been caught.
> 
> WHY WHY WHY WHY IS ONIX SO HARD TO CATCH IN D/P/PT?!?!


I am pretty sure the catch rate has always been 45.  You're probably not weakening it.  Have you tried using Dusk Balls?


I still don't press buttons after throwing balls.  :/  It's pointless.


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## Adriane

45 is indeed a pretty low catch rate, though.


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## surskitty

That it is.  ... but onix is *easier* to catch now, thank you Dusk Balls.


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## Shadow Serenity

I personally had more trouble catching an Onix with dusk balls than I did catching Dialga with a great ball.

....Maybe I just have bad luck. :<


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## Tyranitar freak

I usually spastically tap L and R.


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## Enkoe

1 HP + Dusk Ball + Cave + Night-time + Failure = TOTAL INSANENESS


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## voltianqueen

I always try and press A to the sound of the Pokeball bouncing. No clue when or why I started doing that, it's just normal o_o


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## Rai-CH

I've been holding down A+B+UP since I first got Gold 10 years ago. It does nothing, but I like to think it helps catch Pokemon easier. I used to not look at the screen when trying to catch Pokemon because I thought they didn't like me watching them XD


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## Loffyglu

While I don't tap the A button like that, I know I have a habit of rapidly pressing L and then R over and over again, even when playing one of the GB/C games on, say, my SP |D;; I think that springs from something a childhood friend told me, that doing that makes it more likely to be caught..


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## Chief Zackrai

I usually do the A to Down+B thing. I was told it increases capture rate. I don't even do it because I want to anymore. I do it out of religious habit.


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## Mewtwo

ゼニガメ26;377639 said:
			
		

> I go in a clockwise circle around the buttons when the Pokeball is flying, down once it lands, and then the directions it tilts.


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## Lord Mewtwo

No, I hold down B as I heard was the trick. In one game, I forget which I remember hearing to hold down B while the ball grabbed the pokemon and then hold down A and B while it wiggled in attempt to capture; so I did that briefly but then somehow ended up back at just B. I know it's just a stupid hoax and mere coincidence but it's become impulse and it works for me more than not.


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## ....

I never pressed anything...


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## Mallory

I can't say that I do, mostly because I'm too afraid of harming my dearest DS. However, when I go to catch a Pokemon I know that my eyes get really big and I tense up really bad.

And I have a tendency to curse when they break out of the PokeBall.


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## Tarinflame

I have a tendency to hold A when I want the Pokemon to be caught.


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